Infant feeding practices of Haitian mothers in south Florida: cultural beliefs and acculturation.

MedLine Citation:

PMID:
3640185
Owner:
NLM
Status:
MEDLINE

Abstract/OtherAbstract:

The practice of breast feeding is declining among immigrant groups in the U.S. This study explores the socioeconomic and cultural factors affecting the decision of infant feeding preference among Haitian mothers in Florida. Thirty Haitian-immigrant mothers were interviewed in their homes by two Haitian, Creole speaking health care providers. A 110-item, predominantly open-ended questionnaire developed from the Field Guide for a Study of Socialization was utilized. Descriptive data gathered from the interviews revealed that while most of the Haitian women believe that breast feeding is a better feeding choice, only one woman chose to breast feed her U.S.-born infant. Factors cited for the decision to bottle feed included: need for employment, lack of support, influence of other people, and a wish to acculturate to the perceived norm of infant feeding in the U.S. Haitian ethnomedical beliefs about breast milk, beliefs about bottle feeding, and implications for health teaching by health care professionals are discussed. The author stresses that the reasons for a woman's feeding preference must be evaluated before health care professionals advocate a specific feeding choice, so that the functional significance of the woman's choice is not lost and the stresses of acculturation are not increased.